


[One-shot] Julian's Lamentations

by AlexiosUzumaki



Category: Naruto
Genre: "the Gods envy us", Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arguments against immortality, Celibacy, F/M, Imagine Sasuke as a Roman emperor, Post-Break Up, Post-War, Roman emperor 'Julian the Apostate', Sakura got over Sasuke, Sasuke's philosophy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:29:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28944456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexiosUzumaki/pseuds/AlexiosUzumaki
Summary: That god has taken her away from him. Yet there's nothing Sasuke can do but lament and regret.World:Post-war. Final battle of the Valley didn't happen. Chapter 699 ending didn't happen.Inspired by:Sasusaku=Hades and Persephone. And an English poem of 19th century.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Kudos: 5





	[One-shot] Julian's Lamentations

A temperate Sunday in Konoha. Uchiha Sasuke was silently sitting on an oak branch.

The scene from afar he was staring at...was very uplifting...

Sakura was surrounded by little kids on the playground. They gazed at her with the adoration of a big sis. ‘Sister’...was what they actually called her. Her smile was shining like the sun needed for this gloomy sky. And the children’s innocent face...did remind him of his past. All the admiration and excitement to...his brother…

This place both he and the pink-haired kunoichi were visiting was called ‘Church of St.Jeanne’. From what Sasuke understood,she would come and look after these kids when she wasn’t on a mission.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow as he was checking all over Sakura. Her new attire looked unusual as it represented none of the clothing styles among the Five Nations. It just hid all of her...curves...compared to her battle outfit. Her beautiful pink lock was mostly covered by her headdress,somehow called a coif. She held some flowers and leaves, as if she was teaching the children how to braid floral wreaths and bracelets. Her supposed tough hands were gently moving,warmly stroking their heads. Sasuke still found it ridiculous that the leader of this church assigned her the clergy’s work. Did they not know that just one punch and she would break miles of ground? Did they not know she crushed her enemies during her missions with such monstrous strength?

Sasuke still watching...

Sakura seemed to enjoy her time with the children. She must be well pleased to fulfill her duties in this place. She must be joyful at her presumed virtuous deeds,at her charity to everyone...everyone…

Except him…

It’d been a while since The Great War ended. He was still confined in the village: No mission and no activity outside the village until the Hokage said otherwise. He wasn’t readmitted to Team 7 yet. All these things weren’t a big deal. They may not know,but even he wanted some peaceful time,to rebuild his shinobi life,after all those dark journeys. Until...such peace was occasionally ruined by the loudmouth Naruto. That dope often passed by his house and called him for some conversation. Fortunately,this Naruto had been mature enough to respect a decline. Meanwhile,Sakura didn’t even visit him for once. Maybe...she was saving the ‘reunion moments’ when he rejoined their team.

Sasuke was amazed that Naruto wasn’t even shocked by Sakura’s decisions. He admitted the dope was his good friend; Sasuke was willing to let that guy rebuild the world as he saw fit. The dope was always cheerful and kind-hearted: Someone the people of this place would love to have. But at times,he just couldn’t understand such a mentality. Sasuke smirked: The comedy or...tragedy would really happen if Naruto became a church member,along with the pink-haired kunoichi over there.

Sasuke knew already: Not only Sakura didn’t consider reconciling (he used that word ironically) with him,she joined this church and made a vow of celibacy. It looks like such an oath was a great service for a kind of alien god these ‘church people’ brought.

Therefore,to be precise,Sakura was working here: Taking care of children,which she claimed to be her ‘dream job’. These people dragged her into their mission of ‘soul-saving’; and she,just like them,could be proud of bringing salvation to everyone...everyone…

Except him…

Speaking of salvation,Sasuke had to recognize how much she’d changed. She was no longer a weak girl he had to save but how strong,determined and fearless she became. She had saved thousands of people during the war. Indeed,her god would be proud of her…

When Sasuke and Sakura were younger… There were a lot of memories between them. Oh how much he recalled her smiles,her giggles,her attempts to support him emotionally… and how much,at that time,he just wanted to forget them all. How much he remembered her tears,whether mourning him at that bridge or stopping him from brutalizing the Oto-nin. Sakura...truly had a kind heart,so this church was suitable for her.

Then the fateful day...only she was there and shed tears for him. And...he had left her...he had to make a decision. For Sakura,the beautiful and kind cherry blossom...to walk the same path as his… He could not accept. He made it clear: He went his way and she went her. No matter what others said,Sasuke believed it was one of the most righteous things he’d ever done.

Even the confrontation at Orochimaru’s hideout,Sasuke’s sword aiming at her just restated his point: She should just begrudge him,forget him and walk her own way.

It went without saying. ‘Be careful what you wish for’.

She’d developed a path against him: She attempted to kill him with her trickery. She must’ve hated him so much to stage such a plan. Turn out...it was not like that.

Sasuke...only vaguely remembered what happened that day. He couldn’t...comprehend why he did such things. One Chidori at her back and a kunai at her throat. One thing Sasuke did recall though...were her tears,and her shaky hands failing to strike him. He could still feel from it...the kindness...the same one trying to stop him from the dark path. The kindness,to the point of willingly taking all suffering and sorrow without resentment… Such compassion must be what this church was crazy about. No wonder Sakura fit in this place so well…

In the end,not once she viewed him as an enemy.

He knew it because her reaction to his apology said it all. Even after that,all he received was a cold shoulder.

Now here she was. A girl who dirtied her hands every day as a kunoichi;a girl whose heart was tainted by him… Yet she was proclaimed to be pure and holy before her god… Just what kind of logic was that?

And what did they call a celibate woman like her? A ‘bride of Christ’? What a ridiculous title! How could one be someone’s bride but also engage in celibacy? And who was this ‘Christ’? A man or a god created by her god to be a second god?

Kindness aside,Sasuke couldn’t understand why Sakura was interested in this alien god? Walking on water? Didn’t shinobi do that all the time? Resurrection? Didn’t both Sasuke and her see dead people raising up,talking and fighting during the war? Almighty god crucified? Didn’t both of them literally fight god-like beings with tremendous power that could destroy them all?

Didn’t she exhaust herself to bring him out of a different dimension? When she was falling,wasn’t he the one catching her like catching a bride? Yet today she became the bride of a man-god…

To be fair,this god seemed to make sure no being could live forever. Sasuke thought that was an impressive feat and maybe...a kind thing. One’s life should reach an end to have an everlasting rest from this chaotic world. The dream of the divine realm with immortal water and peaches and never-ending happiness...was not beautiful as it seemed. As long as we live,we would create darkness,much or little,so no such realm could be archived. Example: Just look at the previous war...

And now,this god’s representatives,the church,spread all over the world and said you could follow him and archive eternal life. What was that? For thousands of years,humans just lived and died;each tribe contracted with their own god and finally this god changed his mind?

Maybe it would be better to keep things as always. Each god taking care of their own tribe. And when people pass away,they stay dead...

Could these church people really make a better world?

Not to mention,Sasuke heard this god actually set a lot of laws on diets and festivals. Why didn’t this church,including Sakura,practice them? Did they just get rid of their ‘divine law’? Were they really worshipping their god?

Looking at Sakura smiling gently at the children,Sasuke contrasted it with her attitude to him. Sasuke clenched his fist;there was no doubt about it. Sakura had abandoned him...abandoned him and indulged into all these foreign things. People could revere her as kind,loving,pure,and holy. But she no longer held love and compassion for him! She may claim universal mercy,then obviously he was no longer a part of the universe!

Sasuke wondered: Why didn’t he just capture her? That’s right! Capture her like...Hades capturing Persephone. There was no way she could resist him. He would bind her and cage her! She could never escape his palm! She would be surrounded by his darkness until she realized her god could not save her. For a shinobi of his level was already a god in this world!

Sasuke relaxed his fist. He couldn’t do it because...he would just hurt her more. He knew how much pain he caused her and he couldn’t bear to…

How ironic! When she was in love with him,he inflicted suffering on her and did what he pleased;and when she didn’t care about him he was suddenly concerned about her feelings?

Perhaps his past crimes had led to this day… No,it wasn’t! He only did what needed to be done! It was her...she wasn’t sincere and faithful enough to him… If she was faithful to her god alone...so be it!

Sasuke kept eyeing all over Sakura. He somehow felt her whole body was shining...like a sun to warm his arctic chest…

Sasuke slightly lowered his head. He couldn’t help but embrace this comfort and peace just by watching her.

Since the war ended,Sasuke could not deny it: Sakura...was the only light in his dark life. She was his love and his salvation. It was the truth...his truth,never-changing.

But...his light had long gone...been taken away and absorbed by a self-proclaimed ‘light of the world’.

...

Sasuke headed to the church gate. He made up his mind: He must live on,even to the end of the world and to the burning damnation,until Sakura realized the error of her way. Then unlike her,Sasuke would embrace her with all his being. And her god shall learn true love and salvation!

Sasuke passed through the gate. Before the entrance was a blooming cherry blossom tree. The wind blowing the petals made a beautiful and dreamy scene,just like the blissful and floating realm of immortals. But Sasuke only felt...sad…

He silently walked away.

_Thou hast conquered,O pale Galilean_   
_The world has grown grey from thy breath_

**Author's Note:**

> Further reading:
> 
> Most of Sasuke's arguments are based on this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Against_the_Galileans. Here's Julian for you.
> 
> The poem verse at the end of fic is from here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45292/hymn-to-proserpine-after-the-proclamation-in-rome-of-the-christian-faith
> 
> Hope you enjoy the story. Feel free to review and comment!


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